New Super Mario Bros. U Videos Reveal a Whole New World

While New Super Mario Bros. 2 felt a little flat as far as scenario goes, New Super Mario Bros. 2 stands to liven things up a little. We got a taste of this from the latest issue of Game Informer, with new lands tied together in a fashion most reminiscent of Super Mario World, and Wednesday’s Wii U editions of Nintendo Direct have brought even more information to light.

In the above video from Europe’s presentation, it clarifies what we see in the trailer at the top of this article, that unlike previous New Super Mario Bros. games, Princess Peach’s castle is no longer the starting point; rather, Bowser’s airship knocks the Bros. and the two Toads for a loop, sending them well across the land. Now Princess Peach’s castle is the goal… but who knows what shape it will be in when you get there?

This adds a little bit of intrigue; will Bowser play inferior decorator and remain there, replacing Peach’s rose gardens and water fountains with spike traps and lava pits? Or maybe reaching Peach’s castle will only be part of the journey, followed by the usual trek into the savage Dark Land. With one simple twist and some new settings in the form of the Acorn Plains and Layer Cake Desert, the series seems to be seeing a bit of rejuvenation from the standards we’ve seen across the last three New titles.

The top video also reveals new gameplay elements, such as Mini Mario being able to run along walls and new Koopaling boss battles, such as Roy armed with a Bullet Bill bazooka on his shoulders. Plus, each Koopaling now appears to have their own custom airship.

More information regarding the game’s new modes was offered by Nintendo as well:

• In addition to the main Story Mode, in which players must rescue Princess Peach, New Super
Mario Bros. U features three more exciting game modes, including:

◦ Boost Rush: Using Boost Mode, two to five players work together to clear many different courses in the fastest time possible. The scene auto scrolls, forcing you to move ahead through the course. As you collect more coins, the scene scrolls faster. Once you’ve completed your run, you can watch a replay of other players’ Boost Rush to help strategize
for your next attempt.

◦ Challenge Mode: Numerous single-player and multiplayer challenges incorporate a series of familiar Super Mario gameplay concepts in a fun, competitive way. These challenges offer high replay value as players try to achieve the best score and unlock new challenges. Boost Mode Challenges help players practice the teamwork necessary for effective Boost Mode gameplay. After finishing, players can watch a replay of their Challenge to strategize for next time.

New Super Mario Bros. U will be available at the Wii U launch on November 18th, 2012. In the meantime, you can check out my hands-on with the E3 demo here, and see new screens and art in the gallery below.